Ikata | NICE-25S-0224A | 2025-02-24 - 2025-03-09 | AGRI | Age: 18 - 30

This project is actively working for SDG2 (Zero Hunger) and SDGS15 (Life on Land), organized together with Kikuya Community Group (KCG), formed by the local young people to think of the future of their small village, since 2008. Ikata is famous for its main industry of mandarins farming, but has been facing depopulation, lack of workers and aging society since most of young people leave the town. So, the number of abandoned mandarin farms is increasing and the town is losing its tradition, life, custom and scenery. KCG strongly hopes to host vols. to work together to revitalize the town and farms. The activity Blog: http://blog.goo.ne.jp/kikuya2009 *you can also visit elementary schools and some exchange culture activity if there are requests.

Work: Volunteers will help mandarin farming (main work!! Harvesting, taking care of trees, cutting grass etc., it depend on season! Especially, Nov. to April. is hard!!), support local youth club (If you have chance), and create new activities to revitalize the town.

Accomodation and food: Share room (male and female are separated) at the volunteer’s house. It is traditional Japanese style house. Volunteers cook by themselves.

Location: Ehime

Location and Leisure: In the edge of Sata Peninsula, surrounded by the sea, so fishing is also famous. There are only 30 houses in this community. The climate is relatively warm though it can be cold in winter. Other activities - Joining the local events, many opportunities to learn the local wisdom, etc. Sightseeing, short trip (hot springs, famous places here).

Train/Bus station: The nearest airport is Matsuyama for domestic and Osaka (KIX) for international flights. It takes 2.5 hours by bus from Matsuyama to the meeting point. Vols. need to arrive at KIX by the end of Feb. 23.

Requirements: High motivation to learn/ speak basic Japanese and to work hard. Respect for the local cultures and way of the local organization. Interests in agriculture. Be ready that work is for quite a long and hard. Language - Basic Japanese

Language: jap

Extra Fee: 0 JPY

Study theme - Volunteers have opportunities learning organic mandarin farming. Participation fee - 9,000 JPY (54 EUR by the rate on 2024 Nov. 2nd) of NICE Volunteers fee need to be paid in advance either by Card or PayPal. This is used for the project preparation/ coordination such as the transportation of the camp leaders while the meals and the accommodation are provided by the local host by free. Other - None